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Medical imaging

What is medical imaging ?​

Medical imaging is a discipline which allows the body and the organs to be explored using non-invasive techniques (no surgical intervention). These different techniques make use of physical phenomena which interact with the organs and the tissues. They are then analysed using powerful IT systems which will transcribe them into images.

Medical imaging is essential for treating most patients, in particular in oncology. It often allows a diagnosis to be made, disease staging to be carried out (local invasion of the tumour and searching for metastases which have occurred further away) and appropriate treatment to be planned. However, it is also indispensable for internal medicine, for surgery, cardiology, and neurology.

Zoom in on the most common medical imaging techniques​

The most frequently used medical imaging techniques are:

  • radiography (the oldest technique, first used at the end of the 19th century),
  • scanning (which derives from radiography),
  • ultrasounds,
  • MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
  • and scintigraphy scanning or nuclear medicine.

Oncovet offers a technical platform which combines 4 of these 5 techniques (radiography, scanner, ultrasound and scintigraphy).

Each of these techniques have their own advantages and disadvantages and have precise indications.

When several examination techniques are possible, we ensure that we offer the technique with the greatest chances of obtaining the information required to implement the treatment. This choice depends on the area being explored, the general condition of the animal (can it be anaesthetised?) and of course the price of the examination.

The examinations are carried out by appointment, or following an oncological, internal medicine or surgical consultation or on prescription by the treating and referring veterinarian who is able to manage the care of the animal and propose treatments.

For ultrasound, scanning or scintigraphy purposes, it is often necessary for the animal to have fasted for 12 hours, either because having a full stomach impedes the quality of the ultrasound examination and may therefore mask anomalies, or because the animal needs to be anaesthetised (scanner or scintigraphy).

Radiography in dogs and cats

What is radiography?

 

Radiography was the first medical imaging technique to be used. From the beginning of the 20th century, the first examinations were being carried out on the skeleton; radiography developed during the First World War and was particularly driven by Marie Curie.

 

This technique uses differential X-ray attenuation, i.e. images are obtained using the difference in the absorption of rays by the organs.

 

For around fifteen years, the images have been digitalised, which means better image quality and avoids chemical development of the film.

 

This is a painless technique for dogs and cats, although X-rays may pose a danger to health if exposure is excessive. Strict regulations govern the use of X-rays to limit the exposure of members of the public or staff, which is why owners are not permitted to enter the radiography room.

Radiography, the first medical imaging examination used​

Despite the development of other medical imaging techniques such as ultrasound or scans, radiography remains an essential indication and is often the first medical imaging examination to be used.

The examination is quick, and usually does not require any sedation or anaesthetic, which allows examinations to be carried out even if the dog or cat cannot be anaesthetised.

The main indications are:

  • Examination of the skeleton, particularly of the limbs (fractures, bone tumours, growth disorders in young dogs and cats, joint diseases....)
  • Chest examinations, in particular of the lungs (bronchopneumonia, lung tumours, disease staging (a check for pulmonary metastases of other tumours),
  • Examination of acute abdomen (very strong sudden abdominal pain): checking for a foreign body in the digestive system, kidney stones or bladder stones, liquid in the abdomen (peritonitis, a bleeding tumour) or a dilatation or twist in the stomach...

Limitations of radiography​

The abdominal or thoracic organs are not always easy to distinguish from one another (lack of contrast) and the images obtained are in two dimensions only, which does not permit the visualisation of the inside of the organs and thus can prevent detection of a tumour, for example. Scans or ultrasounds are therefore often seen as a preferable option to radiography

Veterinary scanner

Why use the scanner for dogs and cats?​

 

The scanner allows lesions to be viewed which are invisible in a radiography examination, such a herniated disk or a brain tumour. This examination is totally painless for the dog or cat, although the animal must remain totally immobile. This is why the examination is carried out under general anaesthetic.

 

Principle

 

The scanner, or CT scan examination, uses X-rays, as does radiography. Unlike radiography, which crosses the radiography area and forms an image where the various structures are superimposed, it forms images in cross-sections, i.e. perpendicular to the spine of the animal. They can be reconstructed in a longitudinal direction, i.e. lengthwise.

The apparatus is in the form of a ring inside which your animal is placed, lying down on a table, to obtain images.

For most of the examinations, an iodine contrast solution is injected into the veins in order to offer better differentiation of the lesions. For these two reasons, your animal must therefore have fasted since the previous evening. The animal may, however, take its medications. The duration of the examination is approximately 1 hour. You will be reunited with your animal once it has regained consciousness, approx. 2 hours later.

When should a dog or cat undergo a scan?​

  • Central neurological problems affecting the brain or the spinal cord (myeloscan)
  • Investigations into lesions in the skull, nasal cavities, sinuses, bulla, temporomandibular joint sockets
  • Upper (nasal cavities, throat) or lower (bronchus and lungs) respiratory problems
  • Abdominal masses which are difficult to locate using an ultrasound scan
  • Masses in the neck, thorax, pelvis
  • Disease staging in the local area, locoregional area and at a distance from tumours
  • Lameness (exploration of the joints of the limbs)
  • Vascular anomalies (angioscan)

Ultrasound in dogs and cats

What is ultrasound?​

 

An ultrasound is a non-invasive examination which does not pose any danger or cause any pain to your dog or cat.

 

It is based on the echo, a principle of physics. An ultrasound beam is emitted and reflected in the organism, and the echo formed is analysed by the device to form an image of the region being explored. During an ultrasound, air and bones are obstacles in the propagation of ultrasounds. It is therefore necessary to shave the animal and to apply a contact gel to the skin in order to obtain a good quality image. All water-rich tissues can be explored using ultrasound. An ultrasound is a non-invasive examination which does not pose any danger or cause any pain to your animal.

 

Main indications:

 

  • Digestive issues
  • Urinary issues
  • Reproductive and gestational issues
  • Abdominal mass
  • General syndromes (chronic weight loss, general weakness, polyuria-polydipsia, jaundice...)
  • Abdominal effusion
  • Anomalies of the blood (blood count, biochemical examination, coagulation profile...)
  • Oncological disease staging
  • Ultrasonic-guided sampling...

Preparation for the examination​

Good preparation is essential for a high-quality examination. The animal must not have eaten for 12 hours and must not urinate for 2 hours before the abdominal examination. Ideally, two people should accompany the animal to reassure it during the examination. The animal must be shaven in order to carry out the abdominal ultrasound.

Ultrasound is a technique that continues to improve with the experience of the imagers who carry it out, and also as a result of the evolution of materials and techniques. All the latest techniques are in use at Oncovet.

MRI for cats and dogs

What is an MRI?

 

MRI is a medical imaging test that uses a powerful magnetic field to form images.

 

Oncovet has equipped itself with a high-field MRI (1.5 Tesla) in November 2023, the first device of this type in Hauts-de-France. It completes our technical platform in medical imaging and radiotherapy.

 

High-field MRI allows for better quality images (better resolution, better signal-to-noise ratio) and therefore the examination of smaller anatomical structures (e.g. the spine on small cats and dogs, the pituitary gland, etc.) and the detection of smaller lesions.

 

It allows the use of image acquisition sequences that are impossible with a low-field device (e.g. diffusion, in vivo spectroscopy, etc.) providing additional information to characterize lesions and improve therapeutic management.

Finally, the examination time is shorter in high field, thus reducing the duration of anaesthesia and therefore the risks associated with it.

The most frequent indication is the examination of the nervous system (brain, pituitary gland, spine, brachial plexus, inner ear).

There are many other indications, particularly in oncology:

  • Head tumour (oral cavity, nasal cavity, ears, etc.)
  • Examination of the nasal cavity during sneezing, discharge or epistaxis,
  • Examination of the ears during chronic otitis or loss of balance,
  • Pelvic cavity tumour (uterus, vagina, bladder, prostate, anal sacs, etc.),
  • Local assessment of bone tumours
  • Whole-body extension assessment of lymphomas
  • Finger and extremity tumours (digital mastocytoma, squamous cell carcinoma, etc.)
  • Or in orthopaedics (shoulders and knees in particular).

The examination is painless but requires perfect immobility, so the animal must be anaesthetised.

The absolute contraindication is the presence of magnetic metal elements (metallic foreign body, for example). An animal with a pacemaker cannot have an MRI examination.

The osteosynthesis material and the electronic chip are not contraindications but can create artefacts that can interfere with the interpretation of the images.

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